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Tighty_Whitey
Guest
I am curious to know if there were similar prayers to the Lord’s prayer that were prevalent in Israel during Christ’s lifetime. Thanks, g.
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triumphguy
Guest
I believe the Lord’s Prayer was revolutionary (and probably fairly shocking) to most Jews at the time.
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prodigalson2011
Guest
I don’t have an answer to your question, but I just wanted to say you have one of the most off-putting screennames I have ever seen on these forums. And I mean that as a compliment. 
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dje101
Guest
I don’t have an answer to your question, but I just wanted to say you have one of the most off-putting screennames I have ever seen on these forums. And I mean that as a compliment.
I didn’t even notice until you mentioned it! I love the screenname!!As to the OP, I think it was, like a previous poster said, a revolutionary prayer. As I’ve read, it was considered revolutionary because no one had EVER thought of calling the Almighty God…“Father”. This was just unthinkable to the Jews, especially the teachers of the law.
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svid2
Guest
My favorite is ‘fakename’. I assume it’s not his real name.
As to the OP, I think it was, like a previous poster said, a revolutionary prayer. As I’ve read, it was considered revolutionary because no one had EVER thought of calling the Almighty God…“Father”. This was just unthinkable to the Jews, especially the teachers of the law.
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bmonk
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I’d say that the idea of calling God “Father” was pretty shocking.
Much of the rest of the prayer was close to other models of prayer, and we do have the request by the disciples to “teach us to pray as John taught his disciples,” (Luke 11:1), so the idea of a teacher giving a model prayer has at least one precedent.
So: in some ways (content) the prayer was likely pretty unusual.
In other ways, it was not so odd.
Much of the rest of the prayer was close to other models of prayer, and we do have the request by the disciples to “teach us to pray as John taught his disciples,” (Luke 11:1), so the idea of a teacher giving a model prayer has at least one precedent.
So: in some ways (content) the prayer was likely pretty unusual.
In other ways, it was not so odd.
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TimothyH
Guest
I’m not too sure that the idea of God as a father would have been all so shocking to the Israelites.
As to the OP, I think it was, like a previous poster said, a revolutionary prayer. As I’ve read, it was considered revolutionary because no one had EVER thought of calling the Almighty God…“Father”. This was just unthinkable to the Jews, especially the teachers of the law.
Remember that Israel was a covenant nation. Covenants create family bonds, and only Israel was chosen by God to be members of the covenant. The Israelites were the only people who had a family relationship with God. Other nations were outside of God’s covenant and therefor outside of God’s family.
So you shall say to Pharaoh: Thus says the LORD: Israel is my son, my first-born. Hence I tell you: Let my son go, that he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, I warn you, I will kill your son, your first-born." (Exodus 4:22-23)
God himself calls the nation of Israel “My son” in the first person singular, and as Isreal’s Father, he equates his love for Israel with Pharoah’s love for his own son.
The idea covenant relationship and family bond with God as a Father was very real in ancient Israel and the reference to it is explicit throughout scripture.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. (Job 1:6)
All the Jews - sons of God - used to “Present themselves before the Lord” at the three great festivals which were held yearly. King David saw himself as both a king and a son of God.
"I have set my king
on Zion, my holy hill."
I will tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, "You are my son,
today I have begotten you."
(Psalm 2:6-7)
Calling God “Father” and being God’s “Son” was to have a special relationship with God. King David had this special relationship with God and when David was annointed king, scripture says that the spirit of God rushed upon him.
…and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)
In writing these words, Luke is telling us that just like David, the spirit rushed upon Jesus and that he is God’s son. Luke is telling us that just like David, Jesus is the annointed one. Luke is telling us that Jesus is a king.
And this is what is really unique about the Lord’s prayer… Jesus teaches us to call God “Father” because we all have a special reltionship with God. Jesus teaches us that we are all God’s sons and that he is a father to all of us individually. Jesus teaches us that we are royalty.
That we would all have a special father-son relationship with God which makes us all heirs to the throne of David is what is unique.
-Tim-
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